First things first, despite the name, Powermanga has nothing whatsoever to do with big-eyed Japanese animation. Instead it’s a 2D vertical shoot-em-up (or shmup) that harks back to coin-up classics such as Space Invaders and Galaga.

Mobila Interactive admirably throws everything but the kitchen sink into the game, and at you, including enemy ships, big bosses, asteroids, power-ups, and other miscellaneous space debris. Your job? Basically to blast anything that moves, while avoiding getting your spacecraft shot to smithereens.

The fast paced action is set across 42 ever more difficult levels, but due to the game’s inherent repetitiveness is unlikely to hold your attention beyond the initial few. Boredom soon sets in as gameplay flits from one intergalactic shoot out to the next, with the occasional Boss encounter or uninspired power-up briefly spicing things up a little.

The cartoony graphics are colorful and rigidly retro, while the old-skool soundtrack, arcade-fire effects and explosions suit the nostalgia inducing style perfectly. However a selection of equally unresponsive control methods (swipe, tilt, and finger-top) sully this otherwise passable multi-directional shooter. That said, if your on the market for a mindless blaster that can be played in quick bursts, Powermanga deserves your consideration. Good, but not great.